A Servant and Her Master
by reachingtowardsthesky
Summary: In order to appease the furious gods of the land, a young girl is thrown into the ocean as a human sacrifice. However, one of the gods takes pity on the poor girl, and saves her. But what's this? He wants to keep her!
1. The Beginning of a Legend

Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction in a long while, so forgive me if it seems a bit rusty. As I continue writing for this story, I'll improve my writing and ideas for the story, so I might go back and edit some chapters. This first chapter will, without a doubt, be edited at some point.

Ah... Enough of the serious talk! I sound boring. ( ；´Д｀)

So, all that aside, I hope you enjoy the first chapter! Please review, and feel free to leave plot suggestions and ideas for me!

Rating may change to M sometime in the future...

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><p><em>It all began with a broken promise, as many tragic stories do. <em>

_There was once a foolish farmer once who went to the village tavern and drank away his monthly pay. When he finally sobered up, he realized his mistake, and began to weep, for he knew his wife would leave him if he returned home in such a sorry state. The man went to his friends, hoping to borrow money from them, but they smelled the whiskey on his breath and the misfortune brewing about him, and they gave him little, afraid he would use their money for sinful comforts and pleasures. Distraught, he went to the temple that resided on the outskirts of the village, and began to pray to the gods for a way to undo his foolish mistake. He cried out, "Please, gods of the land, aid me in my time of need, and I shall repay you with whatever this miserable existence can provide!"_

_Hearing the poor farmer's pleas, a beautiful goddess appeared before him, holding in her delicate hands a bag containing two month's worth of pay. She smiled kindly at him and called out, "Suffering human, weep no more. I have here, in my hands, a far greater amount than what you have lost. Fear not. I shall help you, my dear." The farmer was overjoyed, and began to weep and praise the heavenly being, but his celebration was short lived. The goddess, despite her beauty, was truly a wicked creature, and informed him that in return for the money, he must slaughter all of his livestock. Without the animals, his farm would be reduced to nothing, but if he returned home without pay, his wife would leave him. The farmer ultimately decided to take the money. _

_When the farmer returned home with the doubled amount of money, his wife cried happily, and to express her joy, she cooked up a large dinner. The main course was one of the plump chickens from the yard. After slaying it, the wife tossed aside its head and feet, to which the farmer laughed, for he had cooked up a plan to fool the wicked goddess._

_After the meal, when his wife retired to the bedroom, the farmer took the bloodied head and feet and rubbed them all over his hands and shirt. Appearing to have slaughtered the animals, the farmer hurried away to the temple to show the goddess, hoping to trick her and keep his livestock. However, the farmer was indeed a fool, for the goddess immediately discovered his lies, and her beauty melted away into a hideous rage. "You disgusting pig," she hissed, "How dare you try and trick me? The Divine Empress? Stupid, lazy human! Your existence is like that of an ant, do you realize this? How dare you rise against my heavenly word? Miserable wretch!" He attempted to plea for his life, but the goddess would hear nothing of it, and as punishment, she cursed his land, and the rest of the village, with a drought. _

_The farmer begged her to lift the curse, yet in response to his pathetic cries, the goddess laughed and turned away, ready to return to the realm from which she came. In one last desperate attempt, the farmer asked her if there was a way to lift the cursed drought. _

_The goddess, drawing back her divine beauty, looked back at him with a sneer. _

"_You failed to sacrifice the meat of animals upon which you filthy humans feast. Now, I ask you once again to sacrifice meat, only this time, the meat of a human. Throw your sacrifice into the ocean, and the curse shall be lifted. Deceive me again, and this village shall perish in eternal fire." _

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><p>It was a beautiful day for a funeral. The gods, to show the humans their sport, cleared the skies and allowed golden rays of sun to wash over the village; the villagers dressed in their finest attire and gathered at the cliff by the sea, flowers and beads in their hands, black ribbons and lace in their hair; the sole priest of the village dressed in his red silk robes and carried with him a scroll of prayers for the bittersweet occasion; the girl, whose funeral they would all attend, was dressed in a fine white gown, and in her eyes shone an unknown sort of excitement for her coming sacrifice.<p>

The girl, whose name was Fionna, was at the tender young age of thirteen. With bright blue eyes that shimmered with innocence and beautiful blond curls that cascaded down her back, she was the ideal sacrifice to offer up to the beautiful, wicked, and bloodthirsty goddess. Fionna was by no means beautiful, as she had not yet blossomed into womanhood, but there was about her a pleasant, enchanting air that captivated all that met her. Obviously, the gods and spirits would be pleased by such a girl, and they would spare the village from the cursed drought upon tasting her sweet, selfless blood.

Fionna stood on the edge of town, facing the ocean, a worried smile tugging at her lips. While she was excited about being able to save the village from drought and famine... She sighed quietly and glanced back at the village, her eyes searching for someone, anyone, that wanted her to stay. There had to be _someone_ out there that didn't want her to die for the sake of land, yet, her eyes met no one's, and so she sighed and turned back to the ocean. The truth of the matter was, to Fionna's disappointment, everyone was eager to sacrifice her, and not just for the purpose of saving the village. They wanted to taste blood and excitement. The villagers, who have never known the tainted pleasures of insanity and idiocy, were eager to get a small sample of madness, and Fionna was their one way ticket to such a tasting.

Perhaps, she thought, Mom and Dad would want me to stay, if only they were alive and stuff...

"Fionna," the priest broke in, coming up behind her, smiling in a reassuring manner. "It's time."

Forcing out a nervous laugh, Fionna turned around and nodded, her hands tugging at the sides of her sacrificial gown. "Oh, already? Got it... Let's get the show going, eh?"

The priest chuckled at her optimism at such a grave time, and walked on past her, meaning for her to follow. The girl hesitated for a moment, stole one last look at the village, and hurried after the elderly man, heart pounding wildly in her chest. She followed him along the winding road, and at last, they reached a cliff that overlooked the sea, looming over rocks that had grown rough and jagged from the hunger of the waves. At the top of this melancholy cliff, the people of the village waited, anticipating the moment of despair and reborn hope. Fionna, with a shudder, realized that this was it.

This was her funeral.

The priest lead her towards the edge of the cliff, where Fionna stood silently, her white dress flapping wildly around her. Turning to face the sea, the girl closed her eyes, blocking out all sounds around her, hoping to spend her last moments of life in a numb sort of bliss. The strong, salty wind was a comfort. It carried her mind to distant lands, where adventure and action awaited. Soon, she thought with a smile, I'll be there.

"Oh, Fionna, kind and generous human, gifted with the understanding beyond your years, go forth, and in your absence, your name shall be honored for many years to come. Go forth into the blessed realm of the gods and spirits! Go forth and calm the beautiful goddess that has cast our village into famine! Go, and may the strength of the earth be with you!"

Fionna's feet remained rooted to the spot. She returned to reality and looked down over the edge of the cliff, only to feel fear begin to brew within her for the first time in her life. "I... I need more time... Could you talk to me some more, m-maybe?"

"I said," the priest grumbled angrily, walking forwards, hand outstretched to push her over the edge, "Go forth!"

Fionna turned around and saw the priest walking towards her, ready to cast her into the depths of the ocean. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head, cowardice gripping her body unexpectedly. "I'm not ready... Not yet... I need more time..."

The priest shook his head angrily. "No, the prayers and blessings have been said! Go and save the village, you miserable brat!"

Fionna took a step back, only to slip one foot over the edge and loose her balance. She let out a cry of surprise, and reached forward, hoping to reach someone that, perhaps, wanted her to live, but instead, she only swiped at the air. The girl fell from the cliff, and screamed loudly as she plummeted to what would be certain doom.

_Someone... Save me..._

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><p>"Just what do you think you're doing there? The Empress will be greatly displeased if she heard of this, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you get-"<p>

God of Trickery cast his friend a smug expression, and in response to his words of caution, he walked on past him, chuckling with amusement. "You worry too much. Being the God of Reason shouldn't make you such an uptight little tattletale, you know. I can take care of myself, and trust me, she won't find out about this anytime soon. She's far too busy nowadays." He paused and turned around, grinning widely. "Besides, I think I just might keep this one. If she's a servant, no one can touch her, right?"

His companion, God of Reason, frowned with concern at the notion. "I suppose," he replied, sniffing at the idea, "I don't think it'd be very wise, though. A human does not belong in the realm of the gods. Recall what happened the last time a human was brought up to live among us divine beings? Tragedy unfolded." The reasonable god sighed and closed his eyes, a sad smile gracing his unearthly features. Such sad events plagued his immortal mind, and he could do nothing to cast them aside, despite his divine powers. After a few moments of painful reminiscing, he opened his eyes and looked at his friend, frowning once again. "It's a bad idea. She won't be happy here. The other gods and spirits will look down upon her, and she will only know misery. Reconsider."

"No," the trickster replied curtly, "I don't care. If I return her to her village, they'll think the sacrifice didn't follow through, and they will try to kill again. As my servant, the others won't be able to touch her, anyway, so what does it matter? I've been in need of a henchman for a while."

"Then get a lesser spirit... They are actually of some use, and they are rather common."

"Oh, Gummy, that'd be much too boring for my tastes. A human servant? Very cool and different. I'll be the talk of the realm, won't I?"

God of Reason sighed and went over to the other's side, his lips pressed together in a thin line. "Well, I suppose it is fitting for you. You are an oddball, so... Oh, my, she's rather lovely. Now I see why you want to keep her, you sneak. She's a human, so no matter how repulsive and stupid you are, she'll still find you divine, correct?"

God of Trickery's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. He cleared his throat and held the limp girl in his arms tightly, using her as a way to calm himself down. "That's not it, you moron! I can't return her to the village, so I can't just return her. If I do, they will only attempt to kill her again, and that would be a waste. I'll cast a plague on that village for so selfishly sacrificing a kid like this."

"You do that, the girl will hate you. Her sacrifice would have been for naught. Or worse-they'll offer up someone else."

"I guess," the trickster sighed. "Oh, her clothes are soaked. Gross... She'll smell like salt and fish and stink up my domain if I don't get her changed into something else. Do me a favor and have one of your servants bring some clothes for her? Have them clean her off. She smells like... Human. Wicked nasty."

God of Reason smiled and rolled his eyes at his friend's ridiculous rambling, although he secretly found it rather amusing. "Fine, fine. Oh, and Marshall, what about Lady Ashley? She'll be coming down from her domain soon. She's got a horrid temper, and I'm sure she'll turn the girl into a toad if she sees her with you..."

The God of Trickery, Marshall Lee, sighed once again, and smiled to himself, looking rather uneasy at the mention of Ashley. He adjusted his hold on the girl n his arms, and then turned to leave, laughing in a cocky manner. "No matter. I'll just make sure this human stays out of sight. Besides, it's not Ashley I'm worried about. I'd rather have Ashley mad at me than the Divine Empress, and you know it, Gumball."

His friend laughed. "She's your mother, yet you tremble at the very mention of her."

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><p>(Another) Author's Note:<p>

Ehehe... How was that? (〃￣ω￣〃 ) I hope it's alright. Of course, there is always room for improvement, so review please!


	2. A Voice in the Darkness

**Author's Note: Thank you all for the feedback! I'm glad that so many of you like it so far! I hope I won't let you down in later chapters. Ahaha... Anyway, here's the second chapter, so please review, maybe? (￣¬￣ )ﾉ**

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><p>Marshall Lee was a rather peculiar sort of god. To the mortals over the earth, he was known as God of Trickery—a god holding with him the cruelty of a child and the patience of a drunk. It was said that if you wallowed in self pity and depression for too long, he would descend upon you, bag of tricks in hand, and have a good laugh by cursing you with misfortune and agony. "Don't you dare frown for too long! Keep up your spirits and smile, no matter what, even if your loved ones have been slain," mothers and fathers often warned their children, "If God of Trickery sees you with that sorry look, he will come to you and double your misery! Triple it, even! He will trick you into trusting him, and once he does, he will curse you!"<p>

That was not the only superstition about Marshall Lee floating about in the world of men. It was also said that, in times of boredom, he would come to the mortal lands and "have good fun". By this, they meant he would steal, cast plagues and vermin infestations, and spook people—all to amuse himself. For these reasons, he was known as being the god of trickery. He was also known for being the god bandits, delinquents, and scum prayed to often.

Yet, to the other immortal beings in his realm, he was known as nothing more than Marshall Lee—a tall, lanky god with a fondness for games and pranks. Whenever something odd happened in a god's domain, all hands immediately pointed to Marshall Lee, for who else would actually take time to do such a childish thing? If a lesser spirit's list of duties was stolen and hidden in their master's undergarments drawer, everyone instantly knew Marshall Lee committed the perverted act, for no one else was as sly and dirty to rummage through another's private clothes. The times when he _wasn't_ responsible for such actions... Well, the gods figured they would figure something out when they reached that.

There was one other thing the trickster god was known for in the immortal realm. His voice. Many of the goddesses and female spirits would gather around his enchanted lake, where the trickster himself would sit on a small island and sing, a strange axe shaped instrument in hand. His songs were often about topics such as nature, love, and seasons, but there were times when he just made things up as he went along, selecting words at random regardless of how they worked together. Nevertheless, his voice was heavenly, and the females would squeal and gasp at every tune he played out to them.

Marshall Lee was, indeed, a peculiar god, but despite how people thought they knew him, they really knew nothing about him at all.

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><p>Fionna awoke several hours after being carried in by her savior.<p>

The girl, weak and weary, slowly sat up from the bed she rested on, groaning quietly to herself. Her back was aching, and she could feel a burning sensation emit from her stomach. She wasn't really surprised, though, seeing that she had fallen off a cliff and...

She suddenly gasped and clutched at the bedsheets on top of her, sky blue eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Clutching at the fabric of the sheets, she glanced around the room, wondering if she had, perhaps, made it to heaven...or if she had survived somehow. Of course, the girl had a hard time believing the second option, because, really, who could survive such a terrifying fall, especially when everyone was rooting for her blood to be spilled? _I died,_ Fionna thought with a nervous chuckle, _I died and this is heaven... Besides, this place smells freaking amazing. It's like... Gods, what is that smell? It's nothing I've ever experienced... Ever! _

Easily distracted by the intoxicating aroma in the air, Fionna peeled the bedsheets off of her body, not even noticing how her clothes had been changed, and carefully crawled out of bed, curious as a cat. The scent was not something that made her hungry... But it was definitely something that struck her fancy. It was like an odd, beautiful combination of night, pine leaves, and roses, yet at the same time, entirely different.

She tiptoed towards the doorway—there was no door for some unknown reason—and peeked out from the room, eyes wide with curiosity. The corridor she met was long, empty, and rather solemn looking, which she considered odd, due to the smell.

"Wonder if anyone lives here," she murmured.

"I live here," a voice cut in, "Any problem with that?"

Fionna let out a surprised yelp, and spun around, only to face Marshall Lee, a smirk plastered on his face. Not knowing who he was or what his presence here meant, the girl nervously laughed and inched away, wondering if this man could be trusted or not. "Hi, um," she sputtered, "What are you doing here, exactly? I mean... Are you dead too? Guess so, since we're both here and, you know, dead, and stuff."

Marshall Lee tilted his head to the side. "Dead? Er, wrong-o. I'm not dead, and neither are you."

"Ha, nice try," Fionna laughed, planting her hands on her hips. "I wasn't born yesterday! I fell off a cliff! I was sacrificed to the gods! I'm pretty sure that means I'm dead, unless I'm some sort of miracle human." Smiling triumphantly, she turned to walk down the corridor, ready to explore, but Marshall Lee was not finished with her just yet. The god, laughing, reached forward and grabbed her wrist, grinning impishly.

"So you think you can prove a god wrong, huh, human? Well, guess again. Feel my presence and tremble."

Fionna whipped around, ready to push him away, but suddenly, she felt as if her strength had been sucked from her body. Her legs shook, and her eyes drooped. "What are you...?"

"I'm a god," Marshall Lee said smugly, not understanding that she was trying to ask what he was doing to her.

"Not that! I mean... Let go!"

Laughing, the god did so. "See? I'm a god. You're a human—and a live one, at that. Those stupid villagers tried to have you killed to please the Divine Empress, but I decided that, perhaps, your life would be worth saving. So I saved you. Understand me, mortal?"

Fionna, despite having regained her strength, trembled slightly. She wasn't scared—she would never admit to that—but she was, indeed, overwhelmed. A god. A _god_ thought _her_ life was worth saving. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that such a grand thing would happen to her, a human orphan! She bowed her head, unable to bring herself to gaze upon his divine features. "Um, sorry for, er, insulting your wisdom, um, god of...?" She paused, unsure of what his name was.

"Trickery. God of Trickery. Oh! You can't call me that, though."

"Why?"

Marshall Lee chuckled to himself and walked past her, entering the corridor, which lit up with his presence. The walls were a dark pink color, and the floor was a rich shade of purple. Candles flickered, bringing light not only to the area, but to the god's face, outlining every divine aspect of his features. It was horrifyingly beautiful. Sharp fangs that glinted dangerously, dark and soulless eyes, pale blue skin... Fionna suppressed a shudder and looked down at her feet.

"I saved you. So, naturally, you are in my debt. You, mortal, are now my servant. Understood?"

She hesitated. "Am I supposed to accept this without complaint? Can't I return to my village?"

The god scowled at her and clenched his fists at his sides. "Ungrateful... Typical of you humans. Nothing we gods do for you is ever repaid. Listen, you, I saved you, and so you must repay me for such an act. You _must_ become my servant, otherwise, I steal your memories. All of them. Hear me?"

"Steal them?" Fionna repeated, shouting out her words. "Why would you do that? I haven't done anything to deserve something like that!"

"Humans cannot enter the realm of the gods. The fact that you are here right now is a grand honor, and you should be bowing down to me in thanks!" Marshall Lee growled, his patience running dry with the girl, "You start your new life here tomorrow, understand? You _will_ be my servant, or else I will erase every memory in that little head of yours, got it? Now, get back into bed. Your body is still healing—worthless mortal bodies, holding you humans back. I shall send in another servant to take care of you."

"I don't-"

"Get. Back. Into. Bed," the god ground out, eyes flashing angrily. "You're annoying me. Just shush up and do what I say, or I'll throw you back into the ocean, weights tied around your ankles!"

Fionna glared at him and, unwillingly, crawled back into the bed, grumbling to herself the entire time.

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><p>"Oh, poor baby. I don't understand why there is so much death going on in the world, really. Poor, poor lamb."<p>

The servant sent to Fionna was a friendly cat spirit named Cake. She looked like a normal cat at first glance, but she was entirely different from the animal she resembled. For starters, she stood on his hind legs, walking and running about in the manner of a human. She could also talk—and what a talker she was—and stretch parts of her body to unnatural sizes and shapes. Fionna, despite her current situation, found Cake to be amusing and interesting, and instantly warmed up to her. "No big deal, I guess," Fionna chirped, feeling her sadness drift away, "I mean, I'm alive now, and I get to serve a god. Pretty exciting for a mere human."

Cake smiled a little. "Being a servant isn't too bad, hun. I serve another god. God of Reason, but he's known as Prince Gumball to us all. Oh, he's not really a prince, though. He's just very gentlemanly and everything, so it's kind of a nickname cooked up for him. He's very nice. Always giving me sweets and calling me adorable. Oh, baby, and his other servant, Monochromicorn... Sweet babies," the cat purred out, eyes widening slightly at the mention of the other servant. Fionna tilted her head to the side.

"Oh, he's my, heh, partner. He's also my master's method of transportation."

Fionna nodded, not quite understanding. "Um, is God of Tri—I mean, is my master a good guy? He's a little scary looking, but he saved me, so he can't be all that bad, right?"

The cat spirit was silent for a moment, but then she slapped on another smile and hopped off the bed. "That's enough chit-chat, girl. We need to get you bathed and everything. Tomorrow is going to be a little busy for you, so come on. Hop to it!"

The human frowned at the lack of response, but obliged, crawling out of bed and following her companion out of the room and down the corridor. The heavenly scent filled Fionna's nostrils once again, and she felt her knees go weak. "What's the smell? Smells really good."

Cake blinked. "Oh, that's the scent from your master's enchanted lake. It's right outside, but you'll see it tomorrow. Come on, baby get in the tub. The bath is prepared and everything."

Fionna blinked and looked up, seeing that they had reached another room. In the middle of it was a large black tub, filled up with warm water and pink bubbles. The girl scrunched up her nose. She never really bathed before... Was it going to feel nice?

"Oh, whoops, you get in, okay? I forgot to bring by those herbal soaps and what not. Be back in a moment, hun."

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><p>Fionna lowered herself into the tub, biting her lips as her sensitive skin met with the water. It felt rather good, she had to admit, but... She hugged her knees to her chest, face crimson red. This was a god's place... Gods had powers... Looking around the room, Fionna prayed silently that her master wasn't looking in somehow. It was a <em>guy<em>, after all, and he didn't look too old, so it was always a possibility.

The room was actually quite beautiful, despite the god who owned it. The walls were draped with deep red curtains and candles, which sent an odd feeling of comfort through Fionna. It wasn't too fancy, but it wasn't too slobbish. Perfect for a snotty god, Fionna figured. "Besides," she whispered to herself, lifting one of her feet out of the tub and wiggling her toes, "I was saved by that jerk, so he can't be entirely bad. Right?" She tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling, only to see a giant mosaic of her master, God of Trickery, surrounded by beautiful women. "Well, I was wrong about that, then..."

Suddenly, a voice rang out through the room, sending Fionna into silence. The voice drifted in through the stained glass windows, which were located above. Far too high for Fionna to reach, much to her disappointment. Nevertheless, she climbed out of the tub, spilling water all over the ground, and walked over the wall from which the voice was loudest, forgetting her nakedness entirely. She pressed her ear to the wall, frowning. It was a song she was hearing.

The voice was bittersweet and young, belonging to a young man—that is, young god or spirit. The song was about a terrifying dragon that was in love with a beautiful princess, and from what Fionna was hearing, there was some sort of stringed instrument involved in the music. It rang out through the bathroom walls, beautiful and mesmerizing. Fionna looked up, hoping to find a way to reach the windows.

"Alrightie, sugar, I'm ba—Fionna! What are you doing?"

Fionna let out a small yelp and turned around, only to see Cake staring at her in confusion. She reddened and became aware of her nudity. "Uh, I heard someone singing..."

"Never mind that! Get back in the tub so I can wash your hair, baby."

The human nodded, but turned back and glanced up at the windows, curiosity shimmering in her eyes.

The voice had stopped.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: I bet you all know who was singing. Bwhaha.<strong>

**Hm... I have two possible ideas for the next chapter. I need help deciding.**

**Should Fionna meet Gumball in the next chapter, or Ashley? Help me decide! ;A;**

**Ah, thank you for reviewing the first chapter. I hope you liked this one.**


	3. A Warm Feeling

**Author's Note: As I expected, no one voted for Ashley... But that's understandable (that mean old witch)! Ahaha, anyway, I'm really happy to have received so many positive reviews from you guys! It really motivates me, so thank you~**

**This chapter was a bit rushed... I felt bad about not updating so I sort of pushed myself to write this... A-ahaha, I hope it's good enough. **  
>(#／。＼#)<p>

**Here's the third installment~ Hope you enjoy! Please review!**

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><p>Chapter 3: A Warm Feeling<p>

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><p>In the realm of the gods, the role of a servant was rather limited, despite how important the title seemed to be. The servants, lacking so much in power and wisdom, were only good for a few things, such as fetching items, delivering messages, and serving food and drink. Unless ordered to do otherwise, the servants mainly trailed after their heavenly masters on their strolls, fussing over them and asking, "Do you require anything, divine one?". Gods found this rather annoying, but the more servants they had, the more powerful and important they seemed to the others, so they put up with the crowds of servants, smiling painfully through the ordeal.<p>

However, there were some gods that were rather abusive of their servants. Being servants, what could they do but smile and take the abuse? A word of complaint would be answered with severe consequences—perhaps death. The Divine Empress often had to order new servants to be delivered to her palace, for every one or two weeks, she used them to appease her bloodlust. Being the most powerful and feared being in the realm of the gods, no other immortal being dared to question her ways.

Cake, the friendly cat spirit that made a rather fast friendship with Fionna, was one of the lucky servants. Her master, God of Reason, also known as "Prince" Gumball, was one of the kind gods that truly cared for their servants, and would never dare to raise a hand against them. Gumball was a warm, compassionate being, and he felt for the servants, who had no voice in their treatment whatsoever. He often reached out to the servants, comforting them if their masters had treated them harshly and giving them sweets. Cake considered herself blessed.

As for Marshall Lee, God of Trickery, no one truly knew what sort of master he was. Out of all the gods, he was, perhaps, the most mysterious, for he kept his domain shrouded in secrecy. No servants were seen or heard around him, and it was rumored that he did such trivial tasks himself—something that baffled many of the beings in the realm, both gods and spirits. The fact that the son of the Divine Empress was going on without a servant... The Divine Empress seemed to dismiss the matter entirely.

The higher class spirits—the ones that were not bound to servitude—often gathered in their domains, whispering about Marshall Lee and his refusal to own servants. They spoke quietly, so that the sharp ears of the Divine Empress wouldn't reach them. "Perhaps," a dragon spirit murmured, "He had servants many, many years ago, and he keeps them chained up in his lair to satisfy his sinful pleasures." Another spirit, a woman with long, sharp nails and hair like snakes, replied, "No, no, I heard that he refuses servants to rebel against his mother. He has no interest in pleasure, you fool. His mental state is like that of a child."

No matter how much they would discuss the matter, they could never reach a conclusion.

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><p>Fionna scrunched up her nose. "Cake, you sure these are the right clothes? I mean... They sure are fancy and stuff for a servant."<p>

The cat spirit laughed and tugged on the hem of the girl's dress, a look of amusement dancing in her wide eyes. "Honey," she purred, "You're serving a _god_. You can't go around in dirty old rags, now can you? Up here, Fionna, it's all about image. A servant has to look just as flawless as the master, otherwise there will be talk, you hear?" Cake nodded at her own words, proud of them, and stretched her arm across the room, reaching for a silver brush that rested on the dresser. Fionna, in response to the little lecture she was given, sighed and puffed out her cheeks, irritated.

The dress truly did not fit the role of a servant. If anything, it was the dress of a lady fair, or perhaps, a beautiful princess. It was the sort of dress meant for a ball, and obviously, Fionna was not up in the realm of the gods to dance and be entertained. She was there to serve, but how could she do so in her current attire? A pure white gown with large, puffy princess sleeves; a faint pink ribbon wrapped around her waist and tied into a bow at the back; a wide hemmed skirt that swayed as she walked; golden thread sewn into three large circles across her breast; small black shoes that went _clack_ with each step she took... Fionna looked at herself in the mirror again and frowned. "I look out of place... I mean, it looks, um, very nice? But Cake, this isn't me. I can't wear this and be a servant, or be myself. I'd rather wear something plain, simple, and easy to do work in."

Cake paused. "Sugar, what do you think you'll be doing? Sweeping floors and washing clothes? No, no, no. Servants up here? We don't do much. We just walk with our masters and look good, mostly. Other than that, we sometimes deliver messages or serve them food."

Fionna stared at her friend in disbelief. "Then what's the point in having servants? I mean, that's stuff they can do themselves, right?"

"Hush, enough of that. Come on, let me comb your hair."

The human girl frowned, still confused by the subject of her duties, and sat down on the edge of the bed, allowing her friend to brush out the tangles and knots in her golden hair. It cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and ran all the way down to the floor, where it sat in a messy clump, waiting for Cake's brush to do some justice. After several minutes of aggressive combing and styling, Fionna's hair was perfectly presentable. "Thanks," the human mumbled.

"Cheer up, Fionna," Cake chirped, shrinking down to a smaller size and jumping onto the girl's lap, "It won't be that bad! Besides, your master is known for doing things on his own. You're his first servant, so I doubt he'll make you do anything other than walk around with him, sugar."

"But... I want to be useful in _someway_. Doing nothing but standing around and looking good? Sounds boring and like a total waste of time!"

The cat yawned. "It won't be that bad, trust me. You could always ask him for work to do, I guess, but in your dress, too much work won't be possible. Just relax, hun. Enjoy your stress free life!"

Fionna frowned. "I'll try..."

* * *

><p>After Cake finished dressing up Fionna, she went on her way back to her own master's domain, where she was expected. Gumball stood on the pastel pink steps that lead to his residence, a warm smile gracing his divine features. "Well?" the kind god asked, "I hope that the human is making herself comfortable? Poor thing, being forced into such a strange world."<p>

Cake laughed at her master's concern, as she often did, and plopped down onto the soft, gummy ground, a wide grin on her face. "Fionna's a hoot. Even if she's a human, she sure is something. God of Trickery is going to have a hard time bossing her around, that's for sure. Their natures are going to clash. No doubt about it." The cat spirit paused to lick at her paws, which had become slight ruffled in her excitement. "'Scuse me for asking, but why are you so concerned about a human? You're real nice, but why go so far for a human girl? Giving her enchanted clothing that hides her mortal aura, even."

Prince Gumball chuckled at his servant's curiosity. Cake was, for a servant, rather demanding, and also very forgetful of what her place in the realm was. Most masters would lash out at servants for such boldness and familiarity, but luckily for Cake, Gumball rather enjoyed personality. "My, my, so many questions. Well, I suppose I feel a little bad for her. Being Marshall Lee's servant is not going to be very fun, and also, as I stated before, she is new here. In this world, everything she once knew to be true is false. How can I _not_ help but feel empathy? Oh, tell me more about her, will you?" The god made his way over to his servant and conjured up a soft, pink cloud for him to sit on. "Please, tell me more about this human girl. She sounds so very... How should I put it... Interesting? Different? Come on, Cake, let me hear something."

With an eyebrow arched in suspicion, the spirit rolled onto her furry belly and began to unravel the details behind the odd human girl residing in Marshall Lee's residence.

* * *

><p>Fionna pressed her lips together in a thin, tight line, an unamused look dancing about in her eyes. Her master, God of Trickery, was, once again, pushing her to the breaking point, from which Fionna knew she would never return. This was their second meeting so far (or rather, third, if you count how he saved her...), and it was not going as Fionna had hoped. Well, what could one expect from a god known for being childish and rude? The servant sighed and clasped her hands together, trying to keep herself from swinging a fist in her master's direction. "Master, you've summoned me, but all you've had me do is stand here. Er, do you want me to do anything? You're just staring."<p>

Marshall Lee, hovering before her, sitting up with his arms hugging his knees to his chest, merely grinned in response. "I'm the master. I do as I please, and right now, I just want to look at how ridiculous you look in that fancy gown. To be honest, I didn't think you were the type to wear fancy clothes. I can see you sporting men's clothing, easy, but this? Crazy." The god laughed and drifted closer, hoping to get a better look at the girl. Fionna reddened, both from shame and anger. "Oh, look how red you are! Delicious, if I do say so myself."

"You...!"

"Ah-ah," Marshall Lee purred, "Watch your temper~"

Fionna scowled. "I'm in your debt, right? Right. The way I see it, I should only be up here until I repay you. Once I do that, I'm gone! Nothing is worth this stupid kind of...!"

The god raised an eyebrow, amused with the human's anger. "Oh, and how do you suppose you'll repay me? I'm a divine being, and I am never in any danger, now am I? A weak human protecting a god? Ha. I'd _love_ to see that, wench. Now, if you want to do some servant work, I'll let you do it. Might as well let the weak do the work of the weak, am I right? So! Here's my job for you." Marshall Lee drifted back down, planted his feet on the ground, and grinned at Fionna, showing off his large fangs. The girl tried not to show signs of disgust. "I'm meeting someone important. She'll be here in, um, soon. I want you gone, because if she finds you here, she'll have my head for it. Crazy girl. Crazier than you. You can go wander around the spirit meadows, or maybe go help Cake with something. I don't care. I want you gone."

The human girl felt a small pain in her chest at his words, but she quickly dismissed it. "Sure. I'll be _happy_ to leave."

The god frowned slightly. "You don't know your way around yet... I should probably show you where the meadow is, at least."

"Forget it, I can manage. I was the number one explorer back at my village. Always trumping through briars, finding new places to hide... So forget it."

Marshall Lee sighed. "Come on, wench, there are gods and spirits everywhere, and they will definitely d-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, another, more cheery voice cut him off, sending both the master and his servant into a startled state. "Hello there, Marshall Lee, and greetings, Miss Fionna! I decided to drop by and see how things were going, if that sits alright with you, my old friend and bother." Fionna and Marshall Lee spun around, looking on towards the black clouds that surrounded the trickster god's domain, only to see a rather cheery fellow, almost entirely pink, slice right through them, riding a magnificent black creature, with hair as silver as night. Fionna's eyes widened. Never in her life had she seen something so... so...

Marshall Lee scowled. Acting like a child unwilling to share his new toy with others, the god, in a state of irritation, stepped in front of his servant, attempting to shield her from the other being. "Gumball, what the heck are you doing here? Thought you couldn't stand my _gloomy_ place."

Fionna, on the other hand, was trying to get another look at the beautiful being that had appeared before her. He was like an angel, she concluded, an angel to save her from the gloom of this god's home. Gumball, after landing his steed, hopped down and made his way towards the two, a warm smile on his face. Warm... Fionna longed to feel warm, especially after staying in a place so cold and void of happiness. She glanced up at her master, whose back was turned to her, and cautiously began to inch away from him.

"You must be Fionna. My, you look lovely. I must say, I envy you a bit, my friend, for you have such a rare, interesting girl at your side."

Marshall Lee merely replied with an uninterested, "Feh."

"Fionna, I heard my gloomy friend mention he had business to attend to. I was hoping you would let me give you a tour, as you could say, of the realm? You deserve one, I believe. Care to?"

To top off his gentlemanly introduction, the god held out a hand, not in a beckoning, luring way, but in a friendly manner, one which Fionna much appreciated. The servant smiled widely and, without a second thought, hurried forward, sputtering out an agreement, not even looking back at her master. She didn't care for her master. She would never care. Even if he did save her from death, this eternal sentence of servitude was worse. If this other being, this Gumball, could save her from her misery, even if just for a short period of time, Fionna would never ask for anything else ever again. She longed to escape this sphere of black clouds and depression. She wanted to see color. She wanted to get away from her master.

"I'll return her after you and Ashley finish up," Gumball laughed, smiling at Fionna's eagerness to leave. The god ushered her towards Lord Monochromicorn, and as soon as he had arrived, he had left, taking Fionna with him.

Marshall Lee stood alone, staring out into the dark clouds, which had reformed after the interruption.

"...Ungrateful bitch."


End file.
